Not legal advice; Ontario information as of October 19, 2026. Sources, read on that date: the Government of Ontario's Guide to Procedures in Small Claims Court, “Getting ready for court” (updated July 2, 2026), and the court's own Form 14A (version RSCC-14A-E, 2014/01). The text of the Small Claims Court Rules could not be read that day, so this page cites a rule number only where it is printed on the form, and states no costs limit or dollar figure. The court may have issued a newer version of the form.
The three forms at a glance
| Form | What it does | Who uses it |
|---|---|---|
| Form 14A | Offer to Settle: states the terms and the date until which the offer can be accepted. | Plaintiff or defendant making the offer. Optional: the guide says a letter setting out the terms also works. |
| Form 14B | Acceptance of Offer to Settle. Accepting must be in writing and served on the person who made the offer. | The person receiving the offer. A letter also works. |
| Form 14C | Notice of Withdrawal of Offer to Settle, to take an offer back before its expiry date. | The person who made the offer. |
What goes on Form 14A
- Your name and role. Plaintiff, defendant, or a representative of a party.
- Who the offer is made to, and the terms in numbered paragraphs or on an attached sheet.
- An acceptance deadline. The form has a line for the date until which the offer is available. Per the guide, an offer with an expiry date is treated as withdrawn if it is not accepted by then; with no expiry, it can be accepted until the court makes its final decision.
- Your signature, name, address and phone number.
The rules people miss
- Accepting makes it binding. The guide says an accepted settlement binds both sides. Form 14A adds that if someone accepts and then does not follow the terms, judgment on those terms can be obtained by motion, or the action can continue as if there had been no offer (printed as R. 14.06 on the form).
- Do not file an unaccepted offer. The guide says you cannot file it at the court office and should not mention it to the judge during trial. It may be shown to the trial judge only once all questions of liability and relief, other than costs, have been decided (R. 14.04, as printed on the form).
- You cannot withdraw an accepted offer. Use Form 14C only before the other side has accepted.
- The 7-day line and costs. The guide says costs consequences apply to offers made at least 7 days before trial. A judge may order extra costs against a defendant who rejects a plaintiff's offer when the judgment is as favourable or more favourable to the plaintiff, and against a plaintiff when the judgment is as favourable or less favourable to the defendant than the defendant's offer. The guide gives worked examples; this page does not state any amount.
Before you send one
- Write terms you could live with. If it is accepted, it binds you.
- Serve it in writing and keep proof. The guide's own example has the offer served on the other side more than 7 days before the trial date. Proof of service uses Form 8A.
- Keep it out of the court file. Settlement talks stay between the parties until judgment on liability and relief.
Related walkthroughs: Form 9A (defence), Form 10A (defendant's claim), Form 7A (plaintiff's claim), and the Small Claims Court process guide.